Native lifeforms on Tatooine must adjust to the harsh desert conditions if they are to survive. The Tusken Raiders have carved a place for themselves in the barren Jundland Wastes, from which they emerge to raid colonist communities with deadly ferocity. To ride from place to place, they use banthas, a docile species that is easily trained and carries the fierce Tuskens swiftly through the desert.

Hasbro went out of control developing humongous Battle Pack sets (some even got the “Ultimate” designation) for the 30 (77-07) line. And it didn’t require too much effort on their part either. Digging out some older figures (and even making some all-new product as well), they compiled some impressive sets for both kids and collectors. What’s more, they made these sets totally worthwhile purchases because even though many contained recycled figures and parts, Hasbro went above and beyond to repaint them to make them seem “new” for the first time for collectors. A perfect example of Hasbro going all out like this was the Bantha With Tusken Raiders Toys R Us exclusive Battle Packs sets. Essentially a pot luck box set, Hasbro was able to tie together product from across their long modern era time line and work them into a set where they interact flawlessly together with each other. They released two flavors of this set. One in the movie-specific “tan” Verison 1 style and an “Expanded Universe” (we use this term very loosely here) Version 2 styles set where the clan are colored in a dark brown. Both sets were available around the same time at Toys R Us stores are gave collectors versatility and an army of Sand People to quickly army-build this nomadic species. The sets overall came out great despite not being a great value and perhaps most importantly they gave collectors another chance to grab a beautifully painted Bantha that was last seen at retail almost 10 years ago.

Each flavor of this Battle Packs set contains the same product, albeit in their corresponding clan colors. You’ll get a Bantha (which is the same exact thing in both sets) which is a completely revisited version of the 1998 POTF2 release, an update to 2002's SW Tusken Raider (With Massiff) ('02 #52) figure which is a “sniper” here , a repaint to the Tusken Raider (Female With Child) (‘02 #08) set and the 2006 VTSC Sand People figure. In both sets, all figures are repainted significantly and the 2006 VTSC Sand People in the “brown” clan has completely new soft-goods. In most cases, it feels like you’re getting all-new figures here. The changes are that significant. While it seems like a lot of product, it just about equals the $44.99 price tag, so there isn’t any extraordinary money-saving value contained therein, but at least it isn’t an overcharge. The sets shipped in equal numbers from what we can tell and it is interesting that we have witnessed the “tan” version sell through much more quickly than the “brown” set. The “brown” group of Tusken Raiders were nowhere to be found in the film and this is clearly a Hasbro concept. it is a good concept and works well in the action figure line, but if you’re a purist, you can easily skip this set as some “off-screen” convention. But the “tan” set, while movie-specific, gives us repainted figures and they work so well together as a whole.

Some of the figures have stark contrast to each other’s counterpart in the two different versions. For example, the uli-ahs (or Tusken children) look completely different from each other. But so do the snipers. It’s clear that Hasbro has design these sets to be two separate families. And as wholes, they really look fantastic, even for figures from long ago. It’s very interesting when looking back at the product made for Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones that the best stuff became available at retail a half a decade after the film was in theaters. And Hasbro really just had to clean up some of their old product to make some really decent looking stuff. The Bantha With Tusken Raiders Battle packs set is a great box set. And it was especially nice to get another opportunity to purchase the Bantha again. The Bantha is done very well and we think the approach is much better than what The Power of The Force “2” version brought to us. Figures and toy concepts from Attack Of The Clones is really getting a lot of love in the 30 (77-07) line. And this Toys R Us exclusive gives love in a big way. If you’re not into the Prequel Trilogy, then this set may not do it for you. But between the updated Bantha and two “new” versions of the super-articulated VTSC figures in these sets, that sort of sells us on them. But you’ll have to decide if they’re for you! It's likely Hasbro will never do anything like this again, so this may be your only chance at a Tusken Raider family!

Collector Notes

Bantha With Tusken Raiders [Version 1]

Tusken Raider [Female With Child]

Female Tusken Raiders tend to the camps, while the males are the hunters and fighters of their species. The females wear elaborate jeweled masks and carry their infants on their backs. To guard the camps, Tusken Raiders rely on domesticated massifs, which were probably brought to Tatooine from traders who traveled to Geonosis, the creature's homeworld.

Tusken Raider [Sniper With Massiff]

Female Tusken Raiders tend to the camps, while the males are the hunters and fighters of their species. The females wear elaborate jeweled masks and carry their infants on their backs. To guard the camps, Tusken Raiders rely on domesticated massifs, which were probably brought to Tatooine from traders who traveled to Geonosis, the creature's homeworld.

Tusken Raider [Rider]

Tusken Raiders are fierce desert savages that keep to themselves, and are a terrifying presence to the colonists that live on Tatooine. Swathed from head to toe in rags and robes, Tusken Raiders brandish their bladed clubs called gaderffii sticks with menacing skill. Also known as Sand People, these aggressive nomads dwell in the rocky Jundland Wastes of Tatooine and ride single file on banthas to conceal their numbers.

Status: Tusken Raider [Rider] is a repaint of 2006's VTSC Sand People figure.

Bantha

These domesticated animals used by Tusken Raiders as pack animals. Tuskens and banthas form strangely close bonds that almost seem telepathic to observers. Banthas feel this link just as strongly and are known to exhibit frenzied grieving when their Tusken master dies. A Tusken's identity and status are linked to his bantha, and the loss of his animal makes the Tusken an outcast from his community.

Status: Bantha is a rework of the creature from 1998's POTF2 Bantha And Tusken Raider set. This time the figure has been completely repainted and been given all-new fur.